Community Foundation Tampa Bay, Stetson Law School collaboration shapes future leaders

Across Tampa Bay, nonprofit leaders work every day to meet growing community needs with limited staff and tight budgets. Behind the scenes, another group is stepping up to help while learning how the nonprofit sector works.

The Alliance for Advocacy and Philanthropy is a partnership between Community Foundation Tampa Bay (CFTB), a charitable foundation that connects donors, nonprofits, and community leaders to address complex community issues across the region, and Stetson University College of Law. The Alliance exists at the intersection of advocacy, philanthropy, and legal education, giving law students hands-on experience in the nonprofit sector while providing skilled support to local organizations.

The Alliance launched in 2019 as a simple collaboration between two institutions committed to community service. Over time, it has grown into a structured program that shows future attorneys how advocacy and philanthropy can work together to create change.

CFTB Chief Impact OfficerJesse Coraggio says the partnership “formed with the intention of aligning the power of advocacy with the heart of philanthropy” and “evolved into a collaborative model to create positive change in Tampa Bay.” Stetson law professor Judith A. Scully, co-founder and coordinator of the law school’s Social Justice Advocacy Concentration program, conceptualized the program alongside Coraggio. Scully says the Alliance helps law students fulfill the required 60 hours of pro bono work to graduate while they “build strong connections to viable nonprofit organizations in need of graduate students who can research, analyze, and advocate at a higher level.” By creating that connection, she says the Alliance helps “raise awareness of the need for us to support nonprofit organizations, commit to civic engagement, and build bridges between philanthropists and communities in need.” 

Shaping future leaders

Since its launch, the Alliance has steadily expanded. Today, the program includes fellowships, nonprofit placements, and a student organization that introduces law students to careers in public service and philanthropy. More than 180 Stetson law students have participated so far. They have supported more than 100 nonprofit placements and contributed over 5,000 hours of service across the Tampa Bay region.

The Alliance has three core initiatives that provide different levels of engagement for students.

The Community Fellows program places second and third-year law students in paid fellowships with Community Foundation Tampa Bay to learn firsthand about nonprofit board governance, grantmaking, donor development, and funding agreements. The Community Associates program connects students with nonprofit organizations throughout Tampa Bay to provide pro bono support for projects ranging from legal research to policy analysis. The third initiative, Future Lawyers for Advocacy and Philanthropy, or FLAP, is a student-led organization that connects law students with nonprofit leaders and introduces them to career paths that combine advocacy and service.

Together, these programs give students a practical understanding of how legal knowledge intersects with philanthropy and community action.

A student’s perspective

Third- year law student and FLAP President Darcy A. Gott says her experience with the Alliance has been transformative.

“I grew a deeper connection with my local community,” Gott shares. “I am a born and raised Tampa native, so being able to interact with the community in such a unique way was amazing.”

Gott worked as a community fellow for nearly a year and continues to work closely with the Alliance through her leadership role in FLAP.

“Before becoming a fellow, I had no idea how nonprofits received funding or what community foundations were,” Gott says. “The Alliance exposed a need for more legal advocates in the philanthropy and nonprofit sector.”

She recalls how the Community Foundation quickly mobilized resources to respond to a hurricane.

“My biggest ‘aha’ moment was realizing the amount of need just in my local vicinity, and the substantial impact that the Community Foundation Tampa Bay makes on the community,” she says. “During the hurricane, they were able to collect and dispense millions of dollars of donations to nonprofits whose work was stopped because of the damage.”

Supporting nonprofits 

The Alliance offers nonprofit organizations across Tampa Bay skilled assistance and fresh perspectives from students eager to apply their legal training.

“By matching dedicated law student volunteers with local nonprofits in need of help, we assist nonprofits in filling human resource gaps that may have previously prevented them from fulfilling their missions,” Scully says.

The experience also helps students see their profession in a broader context.

“Through the Alliance, students become aware of how vital their skills can be to helping nonprofit organizations meet their goals,” Scully continues. “They begin to visualize themselves as engaged citizens who are capable of serving on nonprofit corporate boards, crafting policy, and collaborating with large numbers of changemakers.”

Coraggio says the Alliance makes a long-term impact by preparing future lawyers to serve their communities.

“Through learning, listening, and activism, law students can become thoughtful leaders in civil society,” Coraggio adds. “By introducing them to the philanthropic values of Community Foundation Tampa Bay and the wide variety of nonprofits in the region, the Alliance helps future lawyers understand how their knowledge and skills can contribute to making the world a better place.”

For more information, go to The Alliance for Advocacy and Philanthropy

This story is produced through an underwriting agreement between Community Foundation Tampa Bay and 83 Degrees Media